Horizontal scrap metal press

ABSTRACT

A horizontal press is provided for forming compressed scrap metal briquettes that can be charged to electric furnace crucibles. Scrap metal is introduced into an elongated casing having a conical shape and a concave bottom. The scrap metal is compressed through the action of a fluid actuated cylinder and piston assembly.

United States Patent Inventor Giovanni Busi Piazzale Kossut, Brescia,Italy Appl. No. 764,167 Filed Oct. 1, 1968 Patented May 11, 1971Priority Oct. 3, 1967 Italy 814,006

HORIZONTAL SCRAP METAL PRESS 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 100/218, 75/44, 100/245, 100/246, 100/255, 100/295, 292/33 Int.Cl 83% 15/32 Field of Search 100/98,

Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Attorney-Clario Ceccon ABSTRACT: Ahorizontal press is provided for forming compressed scrap metalbriquettes that can be charged to electric furnace crucibles. Scrapmetal is introduced into an elongated casing having a conical shape anda concave bottom. The scrap metal is compressed through the action of afluid actuated cylinder and piston assembly.

Patented M'ay 11, 1971 2 Sheets$heet 1 Patented May 11, 1971 3,577,912

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HORIZONTAL SCRAP METAL PRESS ln metallurgical works andespecially in steel mills the charges of scrap metal for electricfurnaces are conventionally secured by compacting a number of scrapbriquettes. After having been suitably compressed the briquettes are putinto the melting crucible of the furnaces.

The above-mentioned method for scrap briquetting requires much time andlabor and therefore represents an appreciable expense.

it is an object of this invention to offer the means for a more suitableand fast preparation of scrap charges for electric steel furnaces and tothis end a horizontal press has been designed to obtain a single ironscrap block representing an individual charge for melting furnaces. Thepress is substantially composed of an elongated mantle or casing fittedwith a suitable top cover, one side of said casing comprising a chamberreceiving the iron scrap bulk, a fluid actuated cylinder and pistonassembly being arranged at the opposite side, wherein the horizontallymoving piston rod is fitted with a suitably shaped end flange, saidcylinder with said flanged piston achieving the requested compression ofthe scrap in said chamber and thus forming a single block subsequentlypushed out of the press by means of a suitable ejector which may, forinstance, act axially on the block thus obtained.

The main purpose of this invention is to obtain quickly and at a lowcost iron scrap blocks having substantially the dimensions and shape ofelectric furnace crucibles so that they may be used as individualcharges for said furnaces.

Referring to the enclosed drawing, which is merely indicative and by nomeans limitative, in which FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are two longitudinalsection views of the horizontal press of this invention, with hingedcove closed and open respectively;

- H6. 3 is a top view of the unit when the cover is in open position;

FIG. 4 and N6. 5 are section views along line A-A on FIG. 3 showing anenlarged view of the device employed to lock the cover to the casing;

FIG. 6 is a partially sectioned view of the scrap iron block obtained;

The press is composed of a mantle or casing 1 with a vertical end wall 6at the rear thereof bearing a cylinder 2. preferably of the oil pressuretype and suitable fed, with a horizontally moving piston 3 bearing aconcave end flange 4 guided on bottom 5 of casing 1 in order to defineand limit with another vertical end wall 6 at the front of said mantleor casing 1 a pressure chamber 7, the capacity of said chamber dependingon the position of piston 3 with shaped flange 4. On bottom 5 of saidmantle or casing 1 a seat 8 is lodging and guiding a vertical piston 10fitted with a punch 12 with tapered end 12' and bottom flange 10 asshown on F165. 1 and 2 on the enclosed drawing.

On top of pressure chamber 7 and of the space wherein flange 4 isshifted to and from a cover 11 is fitted to hold the scrap during theircompression. A detail of great importance is the fact that pressurechamber 7 is conical and its bottom is concave, the conical and concaveshape of said chamber ensuring an easy extraction of the scrap ironblock obtained at the end of operation.

Said cover 11 is hinged on front wall 6 of said casing l and pivoting onpin 13 and it is fitted with end arms 14, on each of said arms the freeend of a fluid actuated piston 15 (preferably an oil pressure operatedcylinder 16) is pivoted, said cylinder being in turn pivoted on theoutside of wall 6 of said casing 1.

Along the borders of the inner surface of cover 11 at least two rows ofhooks 17 are arranged, one row on each side, and when said cover isclosed these hooks 17 engage the corresponding slots 18 formed into thetop side of longitudinal walls of said casing l.

Acros said slots and thus said hooks 17 a corresponding number of dogsfitted with end nose. 19 is acting, said dogs being fitted on lateralrods 20 mounted on fluid actuated pistons 21 of double action cylinders22, for example of the oil pressure t pe.

Each 0 said rods is also fitted with a lever 25 pivoting on a common pin23 and fitted with a finger 24 acting against a shoulder provided on thecasing to limit the lateral displacements of said rods.

With the abovedescribed press the scrap iron to be compressed into ablock is charged in bulk into pressure chamber 7 while its end flange 4with piston 3 is shifted backward (see FIG. 3) and after closing cover11 on said mantle or casing and locking it by mans of dogs 19 actingthrough hooks 17 fitted on said cover the scrap is compressed by flange4 against the sidewalls and against the vertical front wall 6' ofpressure chamber 7. At the end of this operation a compact scrapbriquette is obtained featuring the shape and dimensions of chamber 7,said chamber being shaped approximately like the furnace crucible; afterreleasing and lifting cover 11 the scrap iron block is pushed out of thepress by means of bottom piston 10 acting as an ejector with its flange10'.

While the scrap is compressed the tapered end 12' of punch 12 ofejecting piston 10, 10' forms an axial blind hole in the middle of thescrap briquette, which will afterwards aid in the preheating of thebriquette. As a matter of fact the blind hole within the block pushedout of the casing and then suitably supported will be subject to theaction of the flame of a gas or oil burner, said flame penetrating intothe interstices within the compressed scrap to burn out the oxygen thusobtaining both a suitable preheating and deoxidation of the material. inconsequence,preheating furnaces will no longer be necessary.

As mentioned before, the scrap briquette yielded by pressure chamber 7constitutes an individual charge for electric melting furnaces and thusa single block will be enough to charge an electric furnace, owing tothe fact that the pressure chamber has been designed in accordance withthe shape and dimensions of the crucibles used in electric furnaces.

lclaim:

1. A horizontal press for the preparation of a single iron scrapbriquette usable as an individual charge for electric furnaces, saidpress comprising an elongated mantle having a vertical semicircularfront wall, a fluid actuated horizontal cylinder and piston assemblyfitted laterally inside said mantle, the piston of said cylinder andpiston assembly being fitted with a concave terminal flange to defineand limit, together with the said vertical semicircular front wall ofsaid mantle, a pressure chamber into which scrap iron to be treated isdischarged in bulk, the bottom of said mantle being provided with avertically acting piston adapted to eject the scrap iron briquette, saidvertically acting piston being provided with a tapered end suitable forforming a dead hole axially extending into said briquette, saidhorizontal piston with said terminal flange being horizontally movableto gradually and completely compress the scrap material into a singleblock of the approxi-. mate shape and dimensions of a crucible as usedin electric furnaces.

2. A press according to claim 1 wherein the top side of said mantle isfitted with a hinged cover closing the said pressure chamber, said coverbeing movable through the action of a fluid actuated piston.

3. A press according to claim 2 wherein at least two rows of hooks arelocated along the outer edges of said cover, said hooks lodging in slotspositioned along the upper border of said mantle and being lockable inplace by transverse dogs fitted on pivoting rods controlled by fluidactuated pistons, said rods being connected by means of vertical leverwith a bottom pivot guiding and limiting the displacements of said rodsduring opening and closing of said cover.

4. A press according to claim 3 wherein said pressure chamber has aconical shape and a concave bottom.

1. A horizontal press for the preparation of a single iron scrapbriquette usable as an individual charge for electric furnaces, saidpress comprising an elongated mantle having a vertical semicircularfront wall, a fluid actuated horizontal cylinder and piston assemblyfitted laterally inside said mantle, the piston of said cylinder andpiston assembly being fitted with a concave terminal flange to defineand limit, together with the said vertical semicircular front wall ofsaid mantle, a pressure chamber into which scrap iron to be treated isdischarged in bulk, the bottom of said mantle being provided with avertically acting piston adapted to eject the scrap iron briquette, saidvertically acting piston being provided with a tapered end suitable forforming a dead hole axially extending into said briquette, saidhorizontal piston with said terminal flange being horizontally movableto gradually and completely compress the scrap material into a singleblock of the approximate shape and dimensions of a crucible as used inelectric furNaces.
 2. A press according to claim 1 wherein the top sideof said mantle is fitted with a hinged cover closing the said pressurechamber, said cover being movable through the action of a fluid actuatedpiston.
 3. A press according to claim 2 wherein at least two rows ofhooks are located along the outer edges of said cover, said hookslodging in slots positioned along the upper border of said mantle andbeing lockable in place by transverse dogs fitted on pivoting rodscontrolled by fluid actuated pistons, said rods being connected by meansof vertical lever with a bottom pivot guiding and limiting thedisplacements of said rods during opening and closing of said cover. 4.A press according to claim 3 wherein said pressure chamber has a conicalshape and a concave bottom.